Jao The Ultimate Beginners Mead Recipe

[pete75]

Ok purchased some supply's but the supermarket only had large naval oranges I require 3.75 oranges for my batch. So should I scale it down to 3.25 oranges to compensate for their size or just leave it alone.

Regards Pete

 

[pete75]

Sorry forgot to ask something else.

When the mead has finished fermenting and lets say it is not sweet enough can more Honey be added or will this just restart the fermentation process again. How to make the mead sweeter without raising the alcohol content.

Pete

 

[felten]

That depends on the yeasts alcohol tolerance, JAO relys on the bread yeast having about a 12% alc tolerance and then carking out and leaving residual sweetness.

 

[KudaPucat]

That depends on the yeasts alcohol tolerance, JAO relys on the bread yeast having about a 12% alc tolerance and then carking out and leaving residual sweetness.

So yes, honey can be added after... just be aware fermentation may continue after you've stirred up the yeast, but not much. Just monitor it befode you bottle to make sure no bottles explode.

Oh, and add honey to a glass of mead first, so you know how much to add without overdoing it. That'd be a real shame, cos you can't take the honey back out after!

 

[pete75]

So yes, honey can be added after... just be aware fermentation may continue after you've stirred up the yeast, but not much. Just monitor it befode you bottle to make sure no bottles explode.

Oh, and add honey to a glass of mead first, so you know how much to add without overdoing it. That'd be a real shame, cos you can't take the honey back out after!

Good idea to sweeten a small sample first++++
This is a bit more complicated than my normal mix.
Sugar + Yeast+ Still = MMMMMM RUM

Regards Pete

 

[Brewing_Brad]

10 years after I first started brewing (kits) I have finally laid down my first mead. I was put off my all the recipes saying I had to wait between 6-48 months before I sampled it, so this recipe came as a god send.

This is what I did:

* 6.5kg honey (Patterson's Curse)
* 4 medium to large, thin skinned oranges
* 4 sticks of cinnamon
* 4 whole cloves
* 4 tsp of bread yeast
* Top water up so total volume is 20L

One thing that I just realised I forgot was the raisins. I put the mead down on Monday, so is it too late to add them?

I filled the airlock with cheap vodka and started been bubbling away like a little champion within the first hour...do I need the raisins at all?

Cheers
Brad

 

[KudaPucat]

10 years after I first started brewing (kits) I have finally laid down my first mead. I was put off my all the recipes saying I had to wait between 6-48 months before I sampled it, so this recipe came as a god send.

This is what I did:

* 6.5kg honey (Patterson's Curse)
* 4 medium to large, thin skinned oranges
* 4 sticks of cinnamon
* 4 whole cloves
* 4 tsp of bread yeast
* Top water up so total volume is 20L

One thing that I just realised I forgot was the raisins. I put the mead down on Monday, so is it too late to add them?

I filled the airlock with cheap vodka and started been bubbling away like a little champion within the first hour...do I need the raisins at all?

Cheers
Brad

Raisins are yeast fodder.
You may get off flavours if you stress your yeast by not having them.
It's not too late.

 

[Brewing_Brad]

It's not too late.

That have now been added. Fingers crossed!

 

[Brewing_Brad]

That have now been added. Fingers crossed!

This may seem like a readlly dumb/noob question, but do I need to sanitise them? I did, so will that affect it?

 

[Dave70]

This rule about keeping it in a cupboard, is there a valid reason for it? Will a little sunlight skunk it?

I'd like to sit my demijohn on the microwave cos I think it looks quite ornamental and makes for an interesting conversation starter.

 

[Dave70]

Pitched a sachet of Tandaco yeast into the mead tonight.

I ran the baby's bath and by the time I was toweling him down, probably around twenty minutes, the air lock was ka-blooping away.

..amazing..

 

[pdilley]

Go Tandaco go!

The cupboard rule is for people 1st time new to brewing that need a pointer to an area in the house good for fermenting with rudimentary temperature control. There are no hops or compounds that will react and skunk it but keeping it out of sight keeps people messing with the mead and the potential to inadvertantly mess it up.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Dave70]

Cool.
I may shift it to the top of the fridge as it's more temp stable and out of the way.

As for the 'conversation starter' element - thats going to go something like 'is there a tap dripping?'..

 

[JulieRush]

I put one of these down at the end of feb and have basically left it in the corner of the lounge (classy, I know!) and ignored it. It's wrapped in a black towel to keep the light off it. Airlock was a bit bubbly at first and it smelt awesome, but activity has died off completely now.

It's been really hazy and cloudy and murky since I started it, and I figured it'd come good when it was good and ready.

Took the towel off this morning and it's cleared right up. Fruit is still floating so it's not ready yet, but it's nice and clear and looks fantastic. I'm hoping it tastes ok.I uUsed a standard baker's yeast as per the recipe so we'll see how it goes once the fruit drops.

I also have a mead I bought when on Kangaroo Island recently, so it'll be interesting to taste the commercial mead with my own side-by-side and see just how good/bad/etc mine turns out.

looking forward to that fruit dropping!

 

[pdilley]

Don't stress the fruit drop as the design is for beginners without refractometers or hydrometers to measure for a stop in fall of gravity.

3 months is a good wait so if by then the fruit still floats you most likely are done.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Mitchell]

Can anyone tell me if the cinnamon in the JAO recipie is true cinnamon or cassia?

 

[pdilley]

I use cassia sticks myself.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Dave70]

I use cassia sticks myself.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

Did you know those suckers are hand cut by a man with a knife?

I didn't.

 

[pdilley]

You just ruined my image in my mind of buxum young virgins doing the work in the nuddy.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Spork]

Thank you Brewer Pete for this thread, I printed the recipe (v15) and will get the ingredients soon. Also need to get a bubbler and a bung - or just a balloon. A few pages back someone said they were going to make this in an empty 4.5litre scotch whiskey bottle, thats my plan also. Adequate headroom? Lastly, a few mentioned it, but has anyone made this with leatherwood honey? I'm tempted to try that, or just go to the apiarist down the road and get some of his honey.